Articles

Rudder 6.5: A birthday party with a statement

Published

6 years ago

June 5, 2018

BY: JELANI GRANT

David Rudder said he normally celebrates his birthday quietly, but this year the Calypso legend brought back his birthday party/music show. For his 60^thbirthday, he held the Rudder 6.0 show so he could perform for his fans all night. ”It was more of just doing Soca and Calypso, but also Rhythm & Blues and Folk and stuff I grew up listening to and shaped my writing style,” he said. Rudder said the intent of his musical selection was to take listeners back to the vibe of the 1990s. “This one was more of a reflection of not just my life, but the life of the people who I serve,” he said.

For his 65^thbirthday, Rudder 6.5 is scheduled to perform at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on June 9th in celebration of a music career, spanning more than five decades, which has traveledbeyond the West Indies to influence the world. Rudder 6.5’s first show was held in Trinidad at the Hotel Normandie. He said he intended to perform, “65 songs, one song for each year of my life, but time ran out for the license we have, after midnight we couldn’t go on.”

The show set for early June will include Rudder‘s Contra Band, an eclectic group of local musicians including long-time musical director Jeremy Ledbetter, and award-winningCuban-Latin jazz trumpeter, AlexisBaro.

Rudder’s legendary music created a unique blend of calypso, pop, jazz, and blues that surpassed the boundaries of culture, genre, language or geography. This distinctive sound may have been the reason the Sony Centre paid attention to him during a time where the Caribbeansound was not recognized universally like genres such as jazz and classical music.

Rudder said he performed at the Sony Centre when it was called the Hummingbird Centre, the first time a West-Indian performer would hold a large venue at the center. “This was one of the best acoustically tuned halls in the world, I did songs without a microphone,” he said. Rudder said that night, fourteen years ago, was a tremendous success not just because of the performance but the change he would see in the demographicsof performers. “It was a changing time in the life of the Sony Centre because it opened up the doors for different ethnicgroups to perform on a weekly basis,” he said.

Heavily influenced by the Shango rhythms of his childhood, singer/songwriter Rudder said the stage has always felt like home since he started performing at nine-years of age. “I understood that the stage was life from early on. When I was nine, I stepped on stage for a school competition and it was the most peaceful feeling, a peace I had never felt before,” he said.

Rudder’s lyrics have captured the essence of being Trinidadian, Tobagonian, and Caribbean. His music has gone beyond its roots in the carnival circuit of Trinidad. For instance, when he released Rally Round the West Indies, the hit song became a unifying anthem for the West Indies cricket team and region as a whole. Today, Rudder says he still has so much more to give. “I feel like there are so much more doors to open, I’m still kind of a child in a toy shop, looking at new wonders and everything to reflect on even if it’spainful,” he said.

“I’ve found, because of the state of the nation, especially in Trinidad, [Calypso] has reflected the pain underneath all of the joy, but everything is such a lament that it turned people off,” he said. But with this pain, Rudder said younger artists, such as Turner or Kes, have rediscovered melodies that he believes will reflect the same stories in a different way.

A recent recipient of the key to the city from Port of Spain Mayor Joel Martinez, Rudder brought a significant component of Caribbean culture to the forefront and will bless Torontonians with a night of entertainment guaranteed to shake the floor. The Sony Centre has posted a small clip of Rudder performing at Normandie, but in order to feel truly fulfilled, fans should already have secured tickets.

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The cost of convenience: how much does delivery really cost?

Published

1 week ago

April 25, 2024

TOCaribNews

BY AMARI SUKHDEO

Have you ever been excited to camp-in and order your favourite meal for delivery, only to be taken aback by that bill? That $18 ramen suddenly balloons to $32. Why the hefty price tag? Here’s what’s happening:

Markup mayhem:

When opposed to ordering straight from the restaurant, ordering through delivery apps frequently entails a surreptitious price increase. The menu items found on these platforms are typically more expensive than those found inside. Remarkably, a recent survey found that the cost of things ordered through delivery apps may be up to 26% more than that of items ordered straight from the restaurant. A lot of customers are caught by surprise by this markup, which turns what could have been a relatively inexpensive dinner into a costly affair.

Fee fiasco:

Not only is there a markup, but there are also significant service costs added to the bill. For instance, Uber Eats determines prices based on the quantity of your order, while DoorDash charges a $3 minimum service fee in addition to a 15% service charge. These extra fees have the potential to significantly raise the overall cost of your meal, giving customers the impression that they have been taken advantage of.

Restaurant shares:

It’s not just diners who are experiencing financial hardship. Restaurants face a big competition from delivery apps, which can take up to 30% of their earnings. This is especially true for smaller businesses that depend significantly on delivery services. Restaurants may find it extremely challenging to generate a profit due to the weight of high commissions, given their already extremely narrow profit margins.

A troubling tendency is shown through data: the cost of using delivery apps is progressively going up. Fees have increased to previously unheard-of heights in recent years, leaving many customers unable to pay more for their favourite dishes. For a few, the price hike has caused them to reconsider their dining options.

At home diners, keep in mind that you have to account for the hidden expenses the next time the convenience of a takeaway menu entices you. It’s a story about: delivery workers’ financial struggles, increased rates, and outrageous surcharges. Bon appétit, with caution.

https://www.vox.com/money/24118201/food-delivery-cost-expensive-doordash-ubereats-grubhub

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/delivery-app-prices-higher-fees-2021-pandemic

Junior Contributors

Beneath the waves: Unveiling the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade in the Bahamas

Published

1 week ago

April 25, 2024

TOCaribNews

BY KAHA G. – 15 YEARS OLD

What is archaeology? Archaeology is the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation: of artifacts, structures, and other physical remains. It helps us understand past cultures, societies, and lifestyles by analyzing material culture left behind by ancient civilizations. In this case, archaeologists in the Bahamas have found underwater wrecks of 14 sailing ships involved in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade between Africa and the Americans.

The Bahamas Lost Ships Project, led by Allen Exploration and the Bahamas Maritime Museum, aims to catalog shipwrecks in the Bahamas. They’ve found 596 wrecks so far, dating back to 1657. Also, these findings were published around Black History Month, emphasizing the importance of preserving the experiences of marginalized communities.

The Bahamas’ history is deeply connected to the transatlantic slave trade, with events like the arrival of the first slaving vessels shaping the islands’ population. The wrecks of ships like the Nancy and the General Oglethorpe remind us of the individuals who suffered and resisted enslavement. This research also highlights the Bahamas’ role in the transatlantic slave trade, connecting: Africa, the American Southeast, Cuba, and the Gulf of Mexico. Making it an important trade route for these places.

According to Livescience, the wrecks included the “Peter Mowell which is an American schooner (sailing vessel) that sank off Lynyard Cay near Great Abaco Island in 1860 with about 400 enslaved Africans on board; as well as smaller vessels that carried slaves to plantations for sugar, coffee, cotton and tobacco in North America and around the Caribbean.”

Alongside that, the team of archaeologists, and Allen Exploration have found three wrecks, but their locations are currently undisclosed. The CEO, emphasized the historical significance of these wrecks, noting their importance in understanding the conditions aboard slave ships and the broader history of the slave trade.

Additionally, the type of living conditions of enslaved Black people were atrocious. They lived in miserable huts, which were said to be “Unfit for the habitation of wild beasts.” They wore iron slave collars and worked seven days a week, with just four hours a day of rest in cane-cutting season. Unfortunately, about 10% of enslaved Africans died on the plantations in Cuba each year during the slave trade, and some were even flogged to death.

In conclusion, the discovery of these shipwrecks in the Bahamas sheds light on a significant, yet often overlooked aspect of human history: the transatlantic slave trade. These findings provide valuable insights into the conditions endured by enslaved individuals and the intricate networks that facilitated this cruel trade. As we continue to explore and preserve these historical sites, we honor the resilience and bravery of those who resisted oppression and strive to ensure that their stories are remembered for generations to come.